‘Heartless’ health chiefs hold back blindness drug

8:40am Friday 15th August 2008

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Barnet patients suffering from a degenerative eye disease are being forced either to pay for treatment or go blind, claims the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Peter Mulvie, 84, from Temple Fortune, is blind in his left eye and has the aggressive eye disease wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) in his right eye.

He has been waiting more than three months to find out whether Barnet Primary Care Trust (PCT) will fund his treatment — the same amount of time in which wet AMD can lead to blindness if left untreated.

The grandfather-of-six said: “My eyesight is getting worse by the day but Barnet PCT has totally ignored my application for treatment.

“I live on my own but I might be forced into a care home if I don’t get treatment. I am sick with worry that Barnet is letting me go blind and I will never see my grandchildren again.”

Wet AMD can be treated by a type of drug called anti-VEGF, including Lucentis, which costs about £1,500 per treatment.

The RNIB claims most London PCTs, including neighbouring Camden, Brent and Harrow, fund Lucentis for all who need it.

Since this time last year, Barnet PCT has received 39 requests from individual patients for treatment with anti-VEGFs.

Of these, 20 are still pending, ten were rejected and nine approved.

In talks between Warwickshire PCT and Lucentis manufacturer Novartis in July, it was agreed that the PCT would pay for the first 14 treatments of Lucentis, and Novartis would pay for any further treatments.

Other PCTs have since reached similar agreements.

Barbara McLaughlan, campaigns manager at RNIB, said: “Barnet PCT has previously said that it will not fund because they cannot cap the costs of treatment.

“The Warwickshire agreement means that argument is no longer valid. It should change its cruel and heartless policy now.”

A Barnet PCT spokeswoman said: “The PCT is consulting with colleagues from other London PCTs to try and ensure a joined-up position across the capital regarding the funding of Lucentis following the Warwickshire agreement.  “A decision in Barnet is expected to be made in the coming weeks and definitely before the end of August.”

Any patient who needs help accessing licensed anti-VEGF treatments can call the RNIB’s helpline on 0845 766 9999 or the Macular Disease Society on 0845 241 2041.